Earth posts second-hottest year on record to close out warmest decade

The planet registered its second-hottest year on record in 2019, capping off a five-year period that ranks as the warmest such span in recorded history. In addition, the 2010s will go down in history as the planet's hottest decade, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), a science initiative of the Europe Union.

The service, which monitors global surface temperatures, determined Earth last year was a full degree warmer (0.6 Celsius) than the 1981-2010 average. This data provides the first comprehensive global look at the state of the climate in 2019, with U.S. agencies such as NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expected to announce similar results next week.

http://www.startribune.com/earth-posts-second-hottest-year-on-record-to-close-out-warmest-decade/566823612/